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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2009 THE AGE theform 33 Craig calls it quits The eloquent broadcaster retires after 40 years of calling, writes Max Presnell. Time has come as S EEMINGLY, the system of fol- lowing, in a punting sense, the first trainer you see on arrival at the races is an IanCraig quirk. As with other racing greats – Ken Howard and his ‘‘London to a brick on’’ or Bert Bryant with ‘‘covering more ground than Burke andWills’’ regarding a wide runner – it will be etched into turf folklore. ‘‘Most of the systems I’ve mentioned basically came from Dad, but the (system of backing the) first trainer ismyown. Dad used to get the (SydneyMorning)Herald and in those days there were six tipsters.He fol- lowed a system of backing a horse only tipped once, whether it was third, second or first, according to the Herald panel, and he did well out of it. ‘‘(Backing) a last-start winner (backing up) within seven days is another; he liked that one, too.’’ After 40 years of calling races, Craig hung up his glasses and dis- mantled a famous stand on which they rested atGosford onWednes- day. Maybe it was the end of the great era. Certainly he was one of the best and it is doubtful whether any has been so good for so long in one of the most demanding professions. One in a million can transmit a race from eye to tongue with clarity – and Craig certainly qualified, giving a different tone. ‘‘Call it the eloquence of his Syd- ney Grammar education,’’ said GowanWilliams, an expert on the subject, who has been tuned into broadcasts every day for decades to keep results for his Aimer Racing Weekly. ‘‘Ian was the people’s caller whereas another great, DesHoysted, was the punters’,’’ Williams added. Hoysted matriculated from a renowned racing family. However, Craig PICTURES: SLICK PIX, VINCE CALIGIURI cle worker cting better-class wners and he est potential talent we could with the n the past and ults, and that has rmedhorses able,’’ he said. time watching entify horses we e stable. It’s a lot entify one you can ey is to get horses er welcomed two s to his stable, and val of another er who he hopes play a role during . med, but ageing, ightly raced last- ollops both arrived e talented, but oup 2 winner Blahnik is also due to arrive soon. All three horses were formerly trained in South Australia, as with a handful of others in Oliver’s stable. ‘‘It’s pretty exciting (to getRoyal Ida), although most people wouldn’t get excited about a horse rising nine, but I’mup for a challenge,’’ he said. ‘‘He’swonthree ChristmasHandicaps, threeDurbridge Stakes, and is group 1-placed in Adelaide so to get a chance with him is pretty exciting. Dollops is obviously pretty good as well and Blahnik is due to arrive in a couple of weeks.We’re always on the lookout for horses like that.’’ This weekend, Oliver will have runners inMelbourne and Adelaide with Diamondsondinside,Handsome Is and Determination lining up at Flemington, and Elmore and Booker Darri atMorphettville. Sensational Toy will take her place in next week’s Winter Championship, where she chases her 10th win forCaulfield’s miracle man. I just had to get into the racing industry somehow. LUKE OLIVER achieved figures that will never be beaten. In one radio survey he topped the rat- ings, much to the chagrin of John Laws. It emphasises that racing had a huge audience, but the tonsils behind the golden micro- phone didn’t cop it sweet. ‘‘In the 1980s we had a good run,’’ Craig explained regarding the tri- umph. ‘‘We (2KY) took over the net- work when 2GB changed their format in 1981. See who got the gig (as chief executive) at Cronulla? Richard Fisk.He was at 2GB and probably responsible for switching to footy.We were just about shot with the costs and were about three or four months from pulling the pin. You’ve got to have luck some time.’’ Which happened when I became a panelist with Craig and Frank Ken- nedy on Punters’ PostMortem, a seg- ment of RexMossop’s Channel Seven Sports Action on Sundays. At the time we would reflect that Syd- ney racing received a poor deal off radio stations and formulated a pre- view for 2KY called Turf Time.We worked it together for more than 20 years. Turf Time introduced out- standing talent to Sydney including ShelleyHancox,DomBeirne, Bob Charley, who became the Australian Jockey Club chairman, and a new- comer,Gai Smith. Later, the nowMrsWaterhouse and Craig were mentioned as an item. ‘‘It all stemmed from working together on Channel Seven every Friday,’’ Craig clarified. ‘‘Gave a couple of tips. I walked into the STC office at Canterbury oneWednesday and bumped intoGai. She said, ‘You’ve heard the rumours about us?’ ‘Well’, I replied, ‘Let’s walk into the stand together and fuel the flame’.’’ Despite his size,Craig once ‘‘rode’’ a winner at Kembla Grange. ‘‘The club had a race for the media,’’ he explained. ‘‘GeoffHall and his old manJim, remember they had Big Butch, providedmewith a mount and it must have been Surround. Didn’t it go.We won by about 15 lengths. That night 2KY had a big Christmas function at the oldCarlton Rex in King’s Cross and I sat opposite BarrieUnsworth. Barrie then was an organiser for LabourCouncil ofNSW. (He later becameNSWpremier and general manager of 2KY).’’ Craig even had success in cel- ebrity pacing events but did a much tougher apprenticeship behind the microphone.He started in the back straight at Granville trotting track practising when Ray Conroy gave him the opportunity of his first on- course call.He also gained experi- ence on the hill overlookingHarold Park, standing in the boot of aMor- risMinor chanting the race into a tape recorder. But it all developed into a voice and style, coupled with accuracy, that will be long remem- bered. Craig bows out on top of his game. Possibly the old satisfaction Ian Craig’s last Rosehill call. PICTURE: JENNY EVANS isn’t there. ‘‘I’ve done what I’ve wanted to do and something differ- ent nowis appealing,’’ he main- tained. ‘‘There are that many meetings. You call the race and if you’ve got time at the end you get the totes in. If not you come back and get on quick because there’s another race coming on.We saw the best of it . . .’’ Nowhe will spend more time with his wife,Marilyn, who gave charm and clarity like no other presenting the scratchings on 2KY. During his career he broadcast the great Sydney races, featuring the champions, horse and man. His biggest thrill? ‘‘Getting my break in radio,’’ Craig said. ‘‘I had sent my tapes into 2UE in 1965, working as a rep for Stamina Clothing at the time and received a ‘nothing doing’ reply. Then I returned from a selling trip to the CentralWest and a letter from 2UE asked if I would go in for an interview.On the Friday morning the 1st of October I was asked, ‘Can you do the trots?’ I did it casually and then they putme on full-time.’’